Traveling abroad during COVID: A report from Kansai International Airport

Maido! Osaka Bob here♪

The world has been a strange place without international travel. And ever so slowly it is making a gradual comeback. So what is it like to make a trip out of Japan during Covid? Here is a short summary of my trip on July 22, 2021, departing from Kansai Intenational Airport and exiting Japan from Haneda International Airport.

［Contents］

• Pre-travel Testing & Prep
• Transportation to the Airport
• At the Airport
• Check-in and Departure

■Pre-travel Testing & Prep

This is actually the most difficult part of traveling during Covid. There is a lot to prepare for and so many variables that could make or break your trip. It is essential to check and re-check travel regulations to make sure you are able to fly to your destination and have all of the necessary paperwork. MOFA has the most current information on travel regulations for entering Japan and you will need to check with any countries you are traveling to, including transit, to make sure you fulfill the necessary Covid testing and/or vaccination requirements.

Also keep in mind when booking round-trip travel that flights into Kansai International Airport (KIX) are limited. The current restrictions prohibit international travelers from using public transportation for 14 days upon entering the country. So if you are traveling to the Kansai area you will want to book an international flight that lands at KIX. Also, because schedule changes and flight cancellations are relatively common, it is a good idea to book your flight directly with an airline.

Covid testing in Japan is fairly easy to find, but can be expensive. Visit the website for your destination country’s embassy for information on testing requirements. Many embassies have compiled lists of testing locations that meet their specific requirements. Covid-19 Testing for Overseas Travelers TECOT is another useful resource provided by the Japanese Government. It is an online list of medical institutions that provide Covid-19 testing for travel and can also be used to make appointments for testing.

I personally used Naito Hospital, located in Osaka’s Higashinari Ward. They provide antigen testing which was much cheaper than the PCR. My results were ready in 15 minutes and I waited about an hour for my test result documents. The hospital staff were very helpful. Of course, there are many other hospitals and clinics that offer testing in Osaka and the greater Kansai area.

Japan has also begun issuing vaccine passports. If you have been vaccinated in Japan, please check with your destination country to see if Japanese vaccine passports are accepted and apply for a vaccine passport at your municipality. Currently, Japan does not recognize vaccine passports issued overseas to release travelers of quarantine or travel restrictions.

■Transportation to the Airport

Your preferred method of transportation will obviously depend on where you are located. Will you take the Nankai Rapi:t from Namba Station? Or the limousine bus from Umeda? Or possibly the Bay Shuttle ferry from Kobe? Some transportation companies have changed their schedules significantly since pre-Covid days. For example, the bus that runs between Namba (OCAT) and KIX used to operate two or three times an hour. Now it’s down to only four scheduled buses for a whole day! The mid-day Rapi:t trains are also temporarily out of service.

Even if you are used to traveling to KIX, be sure to double-check the transportation schedules before you go.

■At the Airport

Arriving at the airport was a little surreal. I have never seen KIX so entirely empty. There were very few people coming and going in the lobbies. It was easy to navigate the airport without the crowds, but still a little lonely.

The airport is encouraging customers to follow Covid prevention strategies and good hygiene. Seats were marked off to maintain social distancing while customers are seated, there were hand sanitizing stations in the walkways, and everyone is expected to wear a mask while inside the airport.

Usually KIX is bustling with activity, but this time it was a bit of a ghost-town. Many of the stores and restaurants were shuttered. McDonald’s is open 24 hours, but the other restaurants that were open had reduced business hours. If you’re planning to shop or dine at the airport, please check the store hours on the Kansai International Airport website.

■Check-in and Departure

Due to all of the Covid regulations for different countries and the additional paperwork that flight staff will need to review, it’s a good idea to arrive early for check-in. Usually the airline staff will scan your passport, look up your itinerary, then handle your baggage and tickets. The process rarely takes more than 10 minutes. Now, airline staff may need twice as much time to review the rules and be sure that you satisfy all of the necessary requirements. Of course, there was barely a line, which saved me some time, but I’m glad that I budgeted extra time for check-in. It’s also worth noting that some airlines are more lenient about the way regulations are enforced, while some airplanes can be very strict. Ultimately it is the airlines that determine whether your documents are acceptable, so please check with your airline and review any regulations they may have before you arrive at the airport.

After passing security check, the next step is immigration. If you’re a Japanese national you can breeze through, but non-Japanese travelers will need to fill out a small embarkation form to submit with your passport. You will also be handed a notification of the countries which are on the banned travel list, meaning even with resident status you will not be allowed to re-enter Japan. Currently, this list includes India, Pakistan, Nepal, Maldives, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan. Please refer to the MOJ website for more details.

Once I was on the plane, it was a relief. The flight was not very crowded at all and it was nice to be in an airplane again. I was so happy to have the opportunity to go abroad. I hope to see more international travelers coming and going from KIX sometime soon!